Art contest
by ApocalypticAndrea
Summary: Ino met Deidara at her welcome home party from being in a rehab for being an alcoholic, but he's completely oblivious to her every actions and she's to stubborn to tell him her feelings. But when he decides to sign up for an art contest all hell breaks loose. Rated M for language and some sexual content.
1. Chapter 1

_*Two years ago*_

"I don't give a fuck what you think, I'm the paying costumer here and I want another drink." It was another one of those nights, where she would go out with her friends, get a little to drunk and harass the bartender when he refused her another drink because she was 'way passed her limit'.

"Ino, come on. We'll just go somewhere else." Sakura once again had to try and convince the blonde to leave before they got kicked out of yet another bar, this would be the third one this month.

"Fuck that, fuck this place, you make shitty drinks anyways!" Ino announced, flipping the bird to the bartender.

"Listen Pinky," He called out the Sakura, "You're friend here needs help," She embarrassingly looked away and quickly trying stop Ino from punching him in the face after her mumbled _'fucking alcoholic' _under his breath but she was to slow and the blonde's fist connected with the bartender's face sending down to the ground.

A week after the indecent Ino was sent to court and was forced to pay a 500 dollar fee and was to go to AA meets for her 'drinking problem', where she replied to the judge in a slur,

"Ihavenodrinkingproblem, you'rethe oneswith a problem." That sent her to a rehab instead for a year, after she test positive for having a high amount of alcohol in her system that morning.

"Ah!" The blonde scream in protest. "I just need one fucking drink! You can't make me quit cold turkey." She wanted to throw everything around her, she wanted to scream her head off and try to escape. Sure this place was amazing, they had everything here; except the one things she needed, a bar. "Sakura, this place is a living hell. I'm not an alcoholic, how could they do this to me?" She threw herself on the sofa and groaned tiredly. "I want to go home,"

"Well you should have thought about the before you punched that bartender." Ino rolled her blue eyes and sighed inwardly. "It's just for a few more months Ino, you can pull through this."

"I have 10 more months Sakura, and all the people here are here for heroin, crack and other drugs. I'm scared." She whispered closely to her friends. "Most of this people have some freakish superhuman hearing."

"Mrs. Yamanaka, visiting time is almost over." A worker informed her and she let out another groan.

"Look Ino, I'll be back next week." Sakura stood up and gave her a light smile. "But before I forget, here I brought you something." She took out a clear glass of purple liquid and Ino's eyes immediately lit up with excitement, see her favorite drink before her.

"Oh my god, Sakura! I can't believe you brought me this." She quickly snatched the drink from Sakura's hand. "Purple Cosmos!" She squealed in excitement and quickly took a big chug from the bottle but almost immediately spit it back out. "What the fuck is this?!" She stared at the bottle in confusion.

"Do you actually think I was going to bring you one with alcohol in it? They even tested it when I came in." Ino wanted to scream again, what was her favorite drink without the vodka and liqueur? Nothing, that's what it was.

"This is just cranberry juice and purple food coloring then!" She let out a sigh after seeing Sakura's hurt expression. "But thanks anyways, maybe I can trick myself into thinking there's alcohol in this." She laughed jokingly as she followed Sakura out the door but was quickly stopped by one of the workers.

"I'll see you soon Ino!" Sakura waved back with a heartfelt smile.

"Next time bring me a _real_ drink!" Ino joked and was taken back to her room. "This is going to a long ten months."

_*Ten months later*_

Ino stepped out of the building that imprisoned her for a whole year, the sunlight blinding her as she looked around for a sight of pink. The last twelve months were hell for her, she had to admit but she did feel better about herself and no longer felt the need to drink to escape from reality, she was now sober and liked it.

"Ah, I forgot how it felt to be sober again." She whined to Sakura. "It feels really great to wake up every morning without feeling the urge to throw up or still feel drunk." They talked but mostly about Sakura, since nothing new happened with the blonde over the year. "So let me get the straight, he is one of Sasuke's older brother's friends?" The pinkette nodded with a wide grin on her face. "But what about Sasuke? I thought he was the _love of your life_?" Ino mocked Sakura on how she used to be obsessed with the Uchiha boy.

"Yeah, well he never acknowledge me other then being his friend." Gloom spread over her face as she went on. "I confessed to him a lot of times but every time he didn't say anything back, so a couple of months ago I met Sasori while hanging out with Sasuke and Naruto and well since then," Sakura blushed unable to finish her sentence.

"You guys have been hooking up under the sheets?" Ino winked and nudged Sakura arm with her elbow and her blush deepened to an apple red color. "Well that's great for you," Ino smiled hopefully. "Me on the other hand, no boy is going to want to be with a recovering alcoholic." Her shoulders slumped downwards. "I mean, where's the fun in that?"

"Come on Ino, guys love you sober or not." They pulled up to Ino's old apartment and she sighed, last she left it with empty and filled bottles all over the place. It was going to be a pain to clean up and heart breaking to throw them away. "I cleaned up for you, I even found some secret hiding places." Ino quickly avoided Sakura's jade eyes and laughed nervously.

"Well, I'm a new me now!" Ino announced loudly as they walked into her home and screamed in shock as a house full of people hiding surprised her. "Fuck!" She shouted being taken back. She angrily turned to Sakura, her face as red as the pink head while they were in the car. "Why didn't you tell me I was going to have guests? We could have stopped a bought some drinks for everyone!" The house grew quiet. "Huh, I'm just joking!" The blonde laughed nervously. She was greeted by her friends and family, having to see her parents was the most heart breaking for her as she teared up and hugged them both tightly and cried that she was never going to drink again.

"So, where is he? I want to meet your boy toy." Ino winked with a laugh as Sakura walked her towards the two unknown boys sitting on Ino's sofa.

"Ino, this is Sasori." The younger redhead stood up.

"Ah, it's so great to meet you!" Ino threw herself on him, giving him a big bear hug. "But if you hurt my Sakura, I'll hurt you." She threatened quietly in his ear before pulling away.

"Uh, it's great to meet you as well." Sakura shot Ino a look of displease over hearing Ino's words to him but she smiled back cheerfully. "Ino, this is my best friend." A taller blond man stood up and she was speechless with how handsome he was.

"It's nice to finally meet you." His smile melted inside her and heart felt like it was beating a mile per second. "I'm Deidara."

_*Present Day*_

He could hear her light footsteps racing towards his room, he let out a light playful sigh and waiting for her to make her entrance, he couldn't wait to see how she greeted him this time.

"Dei!" The door flew open and a very excited blonde girl run in, throwing herself at the man sitting at his desk, knocking him off of his seat. "Deidara!" She cried out with joy and shoved a sheet of paper in his face.. "Look Dei," Deidara sat up with Ino still on his lap and read the paper. _"75__th__ annual art contest, held at the Konoha art and music museum. Grand prize 100,000 dollars and the winners piece hung up in the museum."_

"Ino, what is this?" He carefully took of off his lap and sat on the floor with the blonde.

"Did you not read what it said? _AN ART CONTEST_, enter." He let out a sigh, of course this wasn't the first time the girl tried to get him to enter a contest and every time he denied it. "This time I'm demanding you to enter it!" Ino sat up quickly and carefully grabbed the small sculpture from the desk and held it flat on her the palm of her hands. "Look at this Deidara, your art is amazing and beautiful." His face softened at Ino's determined expression.

"Ino, I just can't. Not right now anyways," She placed the small sculpture back down and helped him to his feet. "I have other things I need to finish, school has me busy a lot." Her lower lip curled outwards into a pout. She understood that he was in art school and that it did take up a lot of this time but she also new he would win this because like she always told him;

"But your art belongs in a museum! For everyone to see!"

"Ino, you know I feel about that. I don't want my art trapped away in some glass prison. Art is an explosion!" Ino rolled her blues eyes, Deidara's outlook on art was different from other people's, he would rather see his art being blown up because that's when it's most at it beauty.

"Okay, I understand that but what about the money? You could use it for school and buy better material that you need!"

"Ino, now is not the time, I need to finish this assignment." She let out a sigh and let the paper drop to the floor before walking out of his room.

"Fine, I'll see you later." She stopped at his door, hoping for him to call her back but when she looked at him, he was busy with his work and didn't notice her still there.

Deidara let his breath out after Ino had closed his door. He was glad she was understanding but something was wrong with her today. She was stubborn always and would keep bugging him until he agreed but today, today she gave in to easily.

His eyes wondered at the piece of paper she had left lying on his floor, after picking it up he could no longer focus on this work instead on the paper in his hand.

"Why is he so oblivious Sakura?" Ino complained to her best friend. "I mean after that one night, he's been so different with me." Ino tried to shake the memory out of her head.

_Ino's phone ringing caused her eyes to shoot open. It was too late for anyone to call her, looking at her screen and blushed at the name, Deidara. Quickly answering it she heard nothing but loud music in the back ground, sighing already knowing he had probably called her by mistake and didn't realize it she was about to hang up until she heard him call her name._

"_Deidara?" _

"_Ino, I'm going over." His words slurred together and she knew that he was drunk. _

"_No Deidara, it's to late." She didn't need to see him drunk, that would just bring her back to her old memories._

"_What? I'm outside." Her heart stopped and the phone disconnected. She quickly jumped of her bed and looked out her window and saw him walk towards her building. She grabbed a jacket from the chair in the kitchen and opened the door, finding Deidara outside ready to knock on the door._

_He had this big smirk on his face when he saw her wearing his jacket and underwear. She pushed her way outside and shivered at the cool night that touched her bare skin._

"_What are you doing outsidedressed likethat!" He stood closer to her, she could smell the beer on him and it made her stomach hurt._

"_What are you doing here?" She asked him, her voice strained as she fought back the urge to grab the beer out of his hand and drink it. He took a drink from the bottle and looked down at her. Her mouth became dry watching him drink out of it._

"_I wanted to seeyou," He slurred, bending his back to her face level. "I can't see you?" Her body got hot smelling the beer that he brought to his mouth and she couldn't take anymore but she continued to fight back the urge._

_She pushed him away and turned her back to him. His playful laugh filled her ears, and his hand reached for her door knob, twisting it to open. He pushed her in and closed it behind him, locking it. _

_They stood there, his drunken eyes were hooded and they stared down at her but she tried her best to avoid them. He took a few steps closer to her and accidentally dropped his bottle and the smell filled her noes and senses. She ran to get a rag and Deidara just stood there watching her as she carefully picked up the pieces of glass that were now scattered across his feet and her floor. The smell began to make her feel sick to her stomach._

"_Hey, stop." She looked up at him and then stood up, walked pasted him to throw away the glass she manged to pick up. "Ino," She turned back to him and swallowed hard seeing his face only an inch away from hers._

_His lips brushed her, his warm breath made her face hot and then he slammed his lips on hers. She was over taken by how he tasted like alcohol and gave in but she felt horrible, their first kiss and Deidara was drunk out of his mind._

_The morning rolled around and Deidara was no longer sleeping soundly on her bed holding her, he had left._

"Ino, Sasori told me that he feels horrible for letting you see him like that. Especially since it had only been a month since you got out of rehab." Ino let out a frustrated groan, it had been almost four months since that day Deidara went over, how long was it going take him to get over, she already did. "Well, tell Sasori for him to get over it already." Sasori soon walked into the room over hearing his name being sad. Speak of the devil and he shall appear." Ino hid her head in her arms on the table and sighed.

"Ino, Deidara is the kind of person who will hate himself if he did something stupid, he's also the kind of person who doesn't really care much about other people's feelings." Ino's eyebrow rose at Sasori's statement, was he trying to say that Deidara didn't care about her but hates himself for that night?

"Ino we're going to Sasori, let's go." And see Deidara?

"I think I'll pass." She jumped off the high chair at the island and walked towards the door. "I'll talk to you later Sakura." She grabbed her backpack from the ground and walked out the door.

"You know telling her that about Deidara made her feel worse." Sasori blinked at Sakura unknowing it was going to have a bad effect on Ino.


	2. Chapter 2

"Ino, open up!" Sakura opened the door to Ino's apartment to find the blonde girl sulking around in her pjs, smoking a cigarette. "Since when did you start smoking cigarettes again?" She asked her while placing her things down on the coffee table.

"Since I finally realized I'm going to be alone forever." Ino let out a dramatic cry and hid her face with her arm. Sakura called her a drama queen under a breath receiving a death glare from Ino. "Remember the last time someone called me a name, I punched them in the face." Ino stated, throwing her cigarette butt into her ash tray.

"Need to remind you, you were also very drunk." Sakura joked and then threw the blonde a candy bar.

"Thanks forehead, my candy ration is runny very low." Sakura giggled at the nickname she hadn't heard in almost two years. "So you don't work today?"

"No, they say I work to much and needed to cut my hours." She sat down on Ino's sofa and relaxed her head back.

"Lucky you," Ino mumbled as she sat next to her.

"What are you talking about? You can work when ever you want, you own a flower shop." Ino shrugged her shoulders and broke two big pieces off of her candy bar, handing the small piece to Sakura. "Gee, thanks." They both laughed but Ino's ended with a tired sigh. "Oh no, what's wrong now?"

"What? I can't sigh?" Sakura shook her head. "Nothing, why do you always think that?"

"Because something is _always_ wrong when you sigh like that. I know you Yamanaka, we have that twin thing going on." With her roll of her eyes Ino shook her head with a slight chuckle. "Seriously Ino, what's going on in your head right now?"

"I haven't spoken to Deidara."

"So what, you've gone not talking to him before." Ino's blonde hair flew around as she rapidly shook her head.

"No, _he_ hasn't spoke to me." Sakura mouth a quiet 'oh', this was bad she thought herself. Ino quickly looked up at Sakura in horror. "What did you do?" She asked noticing how quiet Sakura had gotten.

"Ah, I invited Sasori to come over he said he was going to bring Deidara." She laughed nervously, rubbing the back of her head. Ino quickly jumped up and reminded her friend how she looked right now.

"I haven't showered in like two days!" She cried out. The knock on her door almost made her scream, she quickly ran to her restroom and slammed the door.

Sakura sighed and answered the door, letting both boys inside.

"The princess is taking a shower," She chuckled nervously. "So, it'll be awhile before she comes out." She saw Deidara's uncomfortable expression painted on his face and sighed. "He hasn't spoken to her." She whispered in Sasori's ears.

"Hey, uh she has another restroom right?" Deidara quickly stood up, nervousness was painted all over him.

"Oh, yeah," Sakura stood up and walked Deidara to the stairs. "In her room," He nodded and Sakura walked back to Sasori but waited until Deidara was out of sight to speak. "She's been sulking around here in her pjs, smoking."

"I didn't know she smoked." Sasori asked, noticing the ash tray filled with smoked cigarettes.

"She doesn't. I mean she used to before she left but since then she had stopped and now started again." Sakura heard the water stop in the restroom down the hall and sighed.

"Sakura, make sure no one looks!" Ino quickly ran from the restroom up the stairs to her room.

"Ino wait!" Sakura tried to stop her, running to her stairs but then heard her scream in terror. She must have saw Deidara leaving the restroom. Sakura looked back at Sasori who had a smirk on his face and called her back to sit down.

"Let them settle things." He told her before kissing her cheek.

"Oh my god, what the fuck are you doing in my room?!" Ino quickly picked up the towel she had thrown on the ground and covered the front part of her body.

"I had to take a piss!" Deidara shouted back, blushing at seeing a glimpse of Ino's body. "Who the hell doesn't take clothes with them when they shower?"

"I do!" Ino held tightly onto her towel in fear it would fall. "Where are you just staring at me?" Deidara blinked unaware that he had been staring. He walked passed her only to be stopped by her grabbing his wrist. "Wait," He turned around, seeing the small blush on her face as she looked away from him. "Uh, i- why haven't you talked to me?" Ino looked away embarrassed. This wasn't how she wanted this to go, she had everything planned out, she was going to get dressed really nice and make him suffer until he spoke to her.

Deidara looked at her surprised, did she really care that he hadn't spoke to her?

"I-I've been bust with school and other things."

"Other things?" Her heart broken expression killed him inside.

"Yeah, I uh, I signed up for that art contest. I uh-ow!" Ino's grip on his wrist grew stronger and tighter. She was angry no, furious with him, he knew that much. "Ah, I didn't want you to know until I was done with the piece!" He cried out quickly stanching back his arm when he grip loosened.

"Get out," She looked to the ground. "I need to get dressed."

Deidara was lightly pushed down the stairs as the door closed the behind him.

But he was called back to her room a few minutes later to find the blonde quietly brushing through her long hair in front of her vanity mirror. Her eyes darted from her reflection to his behind her, she watched him as he walked over to her bed and sat down.

"The contest is two months from now, where you planning on not talking for two more months?" She continued watching him from her mirror. She took his silence as a yes and rolled her eyes out of irritation. "What time is it?"

"2:30."

"I gotta go to work." She stood up and grabbed a jacket from the chair next to her, she looked at it for a while realizing that it was Deidara's jacket he had gave to her. She put it down and grabbed the light blue on that was hidden under it and followed him down the stairs. "Sakura, I have to go to work."

"I'll take you!" Sakura stood up from the sofa and walked Ino out the door and waited for Sasori and Deidara to walk out too. "I'll see what's up." Told Deidara when she saw Ino get into her car. "Don't worry."

"He wasn't going to speak to me for two months!" Ino growled when Sakura stepped into her car. "Can you fucking believe that? Just because of that fucking contest, do I take away to much of him time?" She continued to rant on as they drove. "Am I to much of a fucking bother to him that he can't focus on his work? I mean I know I can be annoying sometimes but to fucking ignore me?" She scoffed and crossed her arms over her chest. "I don't even have work I just needed to get away from him."

"Ino," Sakura butted in. oh no, here it comes, she always said something that Ino didn't want to hear but she knew that Sakura only wants the best from her. "You guys aren't together. Just friends remember?" Ino's frown deepened, of course Sakura was right. Ino never admitted her feelings for him but they were clearly obvious! She wants the kind to hide her feelings even when she didn't say anything, everyone knew her feelings for him, except him. "Maybe he, just doesn't have the same feelings for you?" Sakura swallowed on her last words, knowing they were going to break her best friend.

"But who to explain that night?" Ino tried desperately to ignore that maybe Sakura was right about that. "I mean, he was drunk and well I never told you what he was mumbling in his sleep.

"_Ino," The blonde turned over hearing her name being said. After she figured that Deidara could no long stand she took him to her room to sleep it off, but he was the only one doing the sleeping; she couldn't after what happened. "Hey Ino," He was muttering something in his sleep. She answered him, remembering something she had read, if you talk to someone in their sleep they will answer you back. "Something," Her eyes narrowed, unable to ear what he was telling her._

"_What was that Dei?" She called him by her nickname for him and leaned in closer to hear._

"_I" she blinked, he? She really couldn't make out the next two words that he slurred out in a quiet mumbled under his breath. She lied on her back and tried to register what he said, he.. "I l-you" He l me? Her eyes grew wide, he likes her, what if he said he loved her? What if for some unknown reason he was saying he lied to her?_

"Since then I've even asked him if he has ever lied to me about anything, I even asked if he liked me but he laughed and said 'of course I like you, I wouldn't be hanging around you if I didn't.' but his expression never freak out or he never lost his composer."

"But what are you going to do about it now?"

"I can't do anything, I've decided to give him the space he wanted. You know, not talk to him until the day of the contest." Sakura gave her a worried look, she wasn't sure if Ino was going to be able to do that for two months. "I'm leaving," her worried looked formed into a shock confused expression. "A few days ago I was asked to go on a vacation with my parents and Shikamaru's family. It's really some business trip but that will only last a month the other month is a vacation for us."

"Ino," Sakura wanted to tell not to go but Ino needed one after all the shit she went through in the last year.

"I'll be back before you know it Sakura," Ino reassured her with a cheerful smile.

"When are you leaving?"

"Tomorrow morning." Sakura nodded her head understanding her friend's decision. "Don't tell anyone though, not even Sasori." They drove in silence until Sakura pulled in front of Ino's flower shop and then they said their goodbyes for now.

Sakura sighed as she stared out the window. It had already been one month since Ino left, and she missed having her around but she was getting tired of everyone asking where she was, and making assumptions that she was back in rehab. She hadn't talk to her in a few weeks neither, and she decided to try and call her during her lunch, which was now and that was if Sasori didn't stop by.

She quickly called her number while she walked mindlessly outside into the little picnic area of the hospital. She was excited to hear Ino's voice pick up.

"Ino, everything is horrible with you gone!" She cried and received a giggle from the other line.

"Just one more month forehead!" Sakura was a little relived to hear the nickname even if she did hate it.

"You better not being doing anything bad over there Ino-pig." She mocked her with the nickname and laughed but it quickly died out when she saw a redhead walked towards. "Oh no, Sasori is here. I have to go Ino, I'll talk to you in a bit."

"Yeah yeah, the last time you said that was over a week ago! I'll call you tomorrow same time okay? There's some really cute guy walked towards me. Bye." Sakura smiled softly as she hung up the phone.

"Who's got you smiling like that?" Sasori asked, his eyebrow up in question.

"Uh, oh it was Ino." Well she wouldn't be lying to him the only problem was the question that followed after.

"Where is she?"

"Working I think, he parents went away on vacation, she's staying at their house to take care of the shop." She gave him wide grin. "But between you and me I think she only has that place open once a week."

"Deidara asked about her the other day." Sasori comment caught Sakura in surprise.

"What did he say?"

"He just complained about how she was still mad at him." Jade eyes rolled, "He's pretty mad about it."

"He's mad? Did he not tell you how he wasn't going to talk to for two months anyways?" He head shook. "He told that to Ino,"

"Is she now taking revenge on him and not talking to him?" Oh no, maybe she had spoken to much. She quickly shook her head.

"If she isn't talking to him it's because he isn't talking to her, Ino is stubborn remember? And besides, she's busy with the shop anyways. I hardly talk to her you know." She wanted to pat herself on the back, hopefully Sasori wasn't putting to much thought into all of this but knowing him, he didn't.

* * *

Deidara stared blankly up at her ceiling. Tomorrow was the day, the day of the contest, he wasn't nervous, he knew it master piece was going to shock everyone there but he was nervous seeing Ino or talking to her in the first time since they got into that fight, that is if she even shows. He looked over at the his cover master piece and sighed inwardly. Even if Ino didn't show up.

His phone rang tearing away him away from his thoughts. As he picked it up he only hopped for one person to be calling him but his expression changed to confusion, why would _she _be calling him?


	3. Chapter 3

"You're making a mess Ino!" Sakura complained while Ino threw her clothes all over her room, forcing herself to pick them knowing the blonde wasn't going to do anytime soon. "What exactly are you looking for?"

"My red dress! Remember I bought it and never wore it because it was to beautiful and I didn't want to ruin it?" Sakura shook her head only understanding half of that sentence due to Ino speaking to fast. "Ah, maybe I put it in the way back?" Ino took an arm full of clothes and placed them on her bed. "Where could it be!?" Sakura laughed as she watched Ino go crazy over one little dress, and then something caught her eye. She pulled out the thin red material and walked over to Ino's body mirror.

"I think I like this one." She stood there with the dress against her body looking at herself in the mirror. Ino screamed and snatched it from the pinkette's hands.

"Oh my god, where was it?" Sakura pointed to the suitcase thrown to the side of the room and Ino wanted to slap herself, how could she have forgotten she packed with just in case they were going to be running late at the airport? "Thank goodness you have great eyes!" She quickly stripped of her clothes and slide the dress over her shoulders. "Ah, I only have an hour to get ready!" Sakura rolled her eyes and chuckled. She grabbed her outfit and went to the restroom to change while the blonde scrambled around her room to get red.

"I didn't tell him or anyone that you left or mention that you were going to the contest." Sakura repeated herself as they drove to the museum.

Ino felt like the butterflies in her stomach were going to fly out of her mouth, she was to nervous to see Deidara again after two months from being away from and not talking to him.

"Do you think he's still mad?" Sakura shrugged and shook her head.

"He thinks you're not going to go that you're still mad." Seriously? Ino huffed, crossing her arms over her chest, she was offended with how Deidara thought of her. Of course she was still a little mad but over these two months and having a heartfelt conversation with Shikamaru she realized her mistake and got over being mad at him.

"Are you ready?" Sakura asked with a sincere smile.

Ino gulped down her butterflies as they pulled into the parking lot, she didn't know if she really ready for this but she was going to do it either way and she was going to tell him how she felt about him, his obliviousness was to much for her already.

"Of course, I'm Ino Yamanaka, I'm always ready!" She stepped out from Sakura's car and cat walked to the entrance, she was going to prove something to Deidara, that was not someone to be messed with.

"There's Sasori with Itachi and Sasuke." Sakura pointed them out in the crowd of people. Ino's eyes searched around for any sight of Deidara but found nothing but a surprised and shocked expression from Sasori which was a big deal since he would hardly show any expression at all. "Good afternoon gentlemen." Sakura did a playful bow and then kissed Sasori on his cheek.

"Good to see you again, Mrs. Yamanaka." Ino blushed deeply as Itachi kissed her hand.

"Itachi, I think we've been over this, it's Ino." She joked but he just simply nodded his head. "Sasuke, great to see you again too." She said statistically with her hands on her hips. "I thought you didn't like Deidara?"

"Yeah, well Itachi thought it would be good publicity for the company." Ino smirked at Sasuke sudden change in attitude, he would never admit it he didn't actually hate Deidara, the feud between them was utterly stupid to begin with.

"Sasori, what's with the surprised face? Do you think I was dead?"

"No, I just wasn't expecting you here." His eyes avoided her and Ino's eyebrow rose in question, he was acting strange. "Well, if you excuse me." Ino slipped away from the group on search for the artist she was here for.

She had a million ways in her head of how she was going to introduce herself to him again, she was going to sneak and give him a hug from behind and apologize for how she acted, another she was going to act like she had no idea who he was, she didn't know how she was really going to do it. Whatever happened when she saw him, happened. She smiled happily looking through the crowd of people until she finally saw a sight on yellow hair by the stage, she squealed to herself as she hid in the crowd from his vision of sight.

She stopped when she saw a girl with short dark hair run up to him and hug him. He smiled happily, hugging her back. Ino watched in suspicion, she wasn't going to jump to some crazy assumption, maybe the girl was just an old friend or maybe a family member. She laughed away any other thought when they both finally pulled away from the hug but their bodies stayed close together.

"Ino, come on!" Sakura grabbed her attention away. "It's about to start, Sasori said Deidara is one of the last ones, but we still need a good seat." Ino nodded but looked back to where he and the other girl were standing but no one was there.

"Sakura, I don't want to sit." Ino complained as she drug her through the crowd of people. "I'd rather stand up."

"Everyone else is already sitting down, they saved us some seats." Sakura's nervous laugh worried her a little. And was it so important that she sit down with them? She wanted to be seen by Deidara when he showed off his art.

"He said it was his greatest piece yet." Ino's eyes were not stop searching around the room. "He wouldn't show me." She still keep her ear on the group in case they asked her a question. She looked around once more and found the girl from before standing alone by the edge of the stage.

Art piece after art piece went by but Ino's eyes stayed half focus on the girl, just in case Deidara walked to her.

"Ino, pay attention. Deidara is next." Her attention quickly went to stage and her heart melted seeing how handsome Deidara looked in an all black suit and dark blue dress shirt with some buttons undone. But she couldn't help to stare back at the girl who looked at him with the same expression she had.

A giant sculpture was brought out from the side, it was still covered in a black sheet, Ino was nervous to see what was hidden behind there.

The announcer counted to three and the whole room was filled with one big gasp. Ino's mouth hung open in shock, Deidara's 'best masterpiece' did not looked like he made it at all.

It was a she-devil that was what she could tell from the horrible condition it was in. The clay was not smoothed out, it was a dark ugly brown color and it hardly had an detail on it. The room was soon filled with chatter about how ugly it was and how could he call himself an artist with that. Ino wanted to shut everyone up but when she saw the cool expression Deidara had on she calm down, did it not bother him that people were talking about how bad of an artist he was?

Then she saw him take out a small remote from his pocket, he winked towards someone, who did he wink at? Her eyes quickly shot towards the other girl who smiled and winked back.

Her heart dropped when she saw him press the button and the room fell into a silence and they all watched his sculpture was blown to bits by him, but once the smoke cleared there was another gasp. Under the ugly clay was a metal angel cupping a purple rose near her chest. The angel had big white wings and a beautiful white dress, bright blue eyes and long blonde hair that curled on her lower back. The angel looked like,

"Ino, that's you." Sakura stated in shock. Of course it looked like her, Deidara had every little detail correct.

Ino froze in her seat, her heart keep a steady beat it she felt like it was beating out of her chest, her eyes teared up as the whole room stood up and applauded him changing their opinion about him being an artist. They gave him a five minute standing ovation and his wide happy grin on his face made Ino so happy. There was no doubt about it, he was going to win.

Everyone settled down to hear the judging, as each artist stood in line, waiting to be judge. Ino crossed her fingers as they announced second and third place.

"Angel trapped in a devil's body!" Ino jumped out of her seat hearing Deidara's name being called for the winner. Tears of joy streamed down her face she everyone around her cheered him on but her heart dropped when she saw the girl run on stage and kiss him on the lips.

"Ino," Sakura placed her hand on her shoulder but she ran, she ran out of the room with tear filled eyes.

Deidara grinned happily as he was announced winner but his grinned soon faded as he saw a red and yellow figure run quickly out of the room Sasori was sitting. He watch her run away and couldn't do anything, she wasn't suppose to come. She was still angry, he was still angry with her and now himself.

He looked back to his group of friends and saw pink follow after her, he frowned. How could this have happened?

"Deidara, smile!" The girl next to him giggled.

"Kurotsuchi, not right now." Her giggle faded away as she forced a smile on his lips.

He tried to escape from the swam of people asking him questions about his work and the girl who clung to his arm. He needed to escape, he needed to find Ino and tell her how sorry his was for everything, it was a mistake letting Kurotsuchi visit him. They had been old news and now everyone was going to think they were new news.

"Bartender!" Ino placed her glass back down. "Purple cosmos please." She smiled flirty under hooded.

"This is going to be your third one in under ten minutes. Are you drink because you lost?" He asked her as he placed her drink in front of her.

"No, it's been almost three years since I last had a drink and I fought how good they were." She giggled, already feeling the side effects from her last drinks. "Just keep them coming when I call you." She winked and handed him a 20 for a tip. Oh how much she loved open bars!

"Sakura," She turned around and found the one person she didn't want to talk to. "Sakura, where's,"

"Listen to me you, you!" She let out a frustrated grunt. "I can't believe you! Just stay away from Ino, do you got that? She's been through enough because of your shit."

"What are you talking about?"

"She's in fucking love with you, you oblivious asshole!" Deidara's eyes grew wide, Ino was in love with him? Since when? He was speechless, stammering on his words, the pink haired girl in front of him groaned. "I don't have time for this, just go back to that other girl Deidara. Leave Ino alone, okay?" She didn't wait for a response, she was to much in a hurry to look for her best friend.

Deidara stood there in shock, how long exactly had Ino been in love with him? And why didn't she ever say anything? But then he realized all of her actions from when they first met to now, she had soon affection for him, how could he have been so stupid all of it? How could he have let Kurotsuchi come back in his life, sure he still had feelings for her but Ino...did he have feelings for her?

"Deidara," Sasori brought him back to reality.

"Sasori, did you know about this?" His friend shook his head sadly. "No, I mean did you know that Ino was in love with me?"

"Deidara," He cursed under his breath, how could he be so stupid? "We have to find her. _You_ have to find her."

"But,"

"Forget what Sakura said, she's angry at you. The only one who is going to make things better is you."

"Dei!" The nickname burned in his ear not hearing it come from Ino's voice. "Oh! Sasori!" Kurotsuchi ran to them. "It's so great to see you again. Dei, why did you run away?"

"Yeah, he was completely oblivious to everything I did or said. Like how could I be so stupid?" Ino shook her head bring her glass to her lips she realized it was empty and put it back down.

"He sounds like he's just not interested? Maybe he has a girl on the side?" Ino nodded her head.

"Get this, so I show up here to you know surprise him and after he wins this other girl runs on stage and kisses him!" Ino continued with her story once the bartender Makoto came back with another drink for her. She sighed at the fruitiness of this one, she didn't understand how she could ever think she could give up drinking? "So I ran away, I don't know if he saw me or not but I really hope he didn't. I shouldn't even been here right now, my friends would kill me."

"Ah, why's that?" Makoto's eyebrow rose in question and Ino giggled innocently.

"I got sent to rehab for being an 'alcoholic'." Ino laughed. "I punch a bartender for calling me a fucking alcoholic, but I'm really not."

"There's a difference between being an alcoholic and liking to drink."

"Exactly! Finally someone who understands me." He winked at her and she blushed slightly.

"Say what are you doing after this?" She was taken back by his sudden question. "I get off in 30 minutes, would you like to join me?" She smirked and nodded her head.

"Yeah, anything to get me away from my friends."

"Sakura, we've looked everywhere she would run too. Maybe she's just not here?" She shot Deidara a look and he quickly backed away.

"This would have never happened if you," She stopped noticing the girl clinging to her arm. "Never mind." She muttered under her breath.

"You know this is one other place." Itachi spoke up, pointing towards the bar room.

"It's the only place we haven't checked." Sasuke crossed his arms on his chest and shrugged his shoulders.


	4. Chapter 4

"Didn't you say Alcohol was Ino's escape from reality?" Sasori question Sakura but she wasn't paying attention. Ino wouldn't go back to it, she said she wouldn't. "Sakura, it wouldn't hurt to look."

"But it will hurt if we do find her in there!" She protested.

"So what's the big deal? Can she like die from drinking?" She girl hooked onto Deidara's asked dumbly with a stupid expression on her face, or what Sakura would have done to wipe it off of her.

"She just got out a rehab for it." Deidara mentioned and the girl didn't show any sign of caring.

"Deidara, who is this fucking chick?" Sakura put her foot down, surprising everyone around here. "This is a serious fucking matter and if you aren't going take it serious then leave. I've already told you that Ino doesn't need you around her." Sasori pulled the furious pinkette away and tried to calm her down.

"Sakura, you getting angry at Deidara like that isn't going to solve anything." She let out a deep breath and nodded her head, wiping the tears from her cheeks.

A familiar laughed filled everyone's ears as they all looked around for the source. They found a blonde in a tight red dress walking towards the entrance of the building, her arm was holding on to a tall man's with spiky brown hair.

"Ino!" Sakura called out to her, remembering the dress Ino had a fit trying to find. But it was to late she had walked out the building with the strange man. She stood there in shock like she could do no more, her heart dropped knowing that a sober Ino would never leave with a stranger, even at the state she was in because of Deidara. "She is drunk." Sakura out loud to herself unable to believe it. Her hand clenched into a fist and she punched the blond boy next to her in the gut. "This is all your fault!" Sasori and Sasuke pulled her away, holding her back. "This would have never happened if you wanted to stop talking to her for those two months!" She tried to kick him while he was already on the ground but the boys holding her moved her father way.

"Sakura, you're making a scene." Sasori whispered in her ear. She shook her head and they both let her go. "Come on." Sasori put his arm on her shoulder and walked with her out the building followed by Itachi and Sasuke.

It had gotten dark by the time Ino and Makoto arrived at Ino's place with multiple bottles of different kinds of alcohol. She led him to her door happily hugging the bottles she was caring at her chest.

"Sweet, sweet vodka. Oh how much I've missed you!" She quickly opened the bottle and took out two shot glasses from her cupboard, thankfully Sakura hadn't decided to throw those away. "Cheers to a great night." The sound of their glasses clanging together was like music in the blonde's ears.

After a few more shots she could hardly keep her balance anymore as she stumbled into Makoto's arms a couple of times before she decided to finally sit down on her sofa.

"How are you feeling princess?" He asked her, sitting down next to her with another drink.

"I haven't felt this good, insolong." She blushed at her accidental slur but then laughed it off. "I missed that!" She sighed happily after her laughed and rest her head on his shoulder. "I'm glad that jerk off did that because then I would have never met such a handsome man who is great at making me drinks." They cheered to that and she took another satisfied drink from her glass.

"I'm glad you think I'm handsome." Makoto turned to her and put her glass on the coffee table, bring her face closer to his and she went in for the kiss, always wanting to make the first move. His lips from her mouth to her neck, receiving small moans as he trailed down to her shoulders.

Ino lied back on the sofa loving how he cradled over her. Her whole body began to heat us as he nibbled and sucked on the crook of her neck. She let out more moans, the closer he got to her chest. Her alcohol filled mind was to clouded with lust and she couldn't think for herself anymore, as she let the man over her do everything.

"AH!" Ino screamed as Makoto slammed her down on him. She let out breath lusty moans as she moved her hips over him, she couldn't remember the last time she even had sex but that didn't matter at the moment. He continued sucking on her neck as she moved over him, he let some throaty moans on her skin making her hotter. "Fuck," Ino cursed trying to regain her breath but he slammed his hips into hers causing her to lose her breath again.

She tried looking at his face but everything was blurred and she no longer had any idea who she was even with, Deidara? She blinked, she was with Deidara?

She gripped on tightly to his back as she quickly and roughly moved in and out of her, letting out moans and cries of pleasure. Her nails dug into his back and he cried out slamming her harder against him. He was beginning to be to rough with her, she tried to call out his name but noting escaped her mouths except moans and to make things worse, she had no idea who she was with!

With every rough slam she cried out in pain but he must have taken is as pleasure, her nails dug deeper and deeper into his back, scratching him.

"Stop!" She finally cried out when they both came to their climax. Her body slumped over his as they both tried to regain their breathes.

"Fuck, you're so good." He whispered in her ear, pushing himself once more inside but she had no strength to stop him, all she could do was let out small whimpers of pain. "You can me to keep going?" She weakly shook her head and he placed her on her sofa.

Ino weakly sat up rubbing her head, her body was sore and ached when she moved, what had she done last night? No, she knew _exactly_ what she had did, why did she have to do it?

"Oh my god, Sakura is going to kill me."

"You put your fucking ass I am." Sakura's voice scared the living hell out of the blonde, causing her to scream and fall to the ground and cry out in pain. "How could you Ino?" Sakura marched into the living room, her jade eyes filled with water ready to bust out. "How fucking could you?"

"Sakura, please don't yell." Ino flinched at Sakura's loud voice.

"Don't yell? Don't yell?!" Ino tried to cover her ears with the blanket she was wrapped in. How did the blanket even get over her and she had clothes on to! "This is your fucking punishment since murder is illegal!" Sakura pulled the blanket away from her and threw it to her side. "Do you have any fucking any idea how worried I was? I looked everywhere at the museum for you and then I see you walk out with some fucking prick!"

"Sakura, I'm sorry! I'msosorry!" Ino cried out hiding her face in the palm of her hands. "I didn't know what I was thinking. I was so mad and upset, I needed to escape and drinking was the only thing I knew what to do and was for sure going to help me!" Sakura stared angrily at the blonde on the floor.

"How do you know if that guy didn't have a std?"

"Because he was a virgin. The poor guy didn't even know what do when our clothes came off!" Ino tried to sound serious but a small giggled escaped mid sentence causing both her and Sakura to bust out laughing. "He made it seem like he was in charge but the didn't know anything!"

"Did you like it?"

"He was pretty good for his first time, considering how sore I am." Sakura's hand slapped against Ino's face, leaving a bright read print. "I deserved that."

"Damn fucking right you did. Not get up." Sakura extended out her hand and Ino grabbed it with a smile. "You fucking run away like that again and I'll really kill you. Serious Ino what were you thinking? Did you really think drinking was going to solve your problem?"

"No, I just needed something to solve that problem."

"Well, guess what?" Sakura opened the front door and pushed Ino out. "The problem is still here." Ino was blinded by the sunlight , she covered her eyes and let them adjust in front of her and her heart dropped.

"Dei," She took a step forwards but stopped. "Dei," She looked at her feet, she was still angry she wanted to find anything to throw at him, she wanted to throw him off the balcony!

The tired look in her eyes hurt to look at them. He had been stupid, she was like this because he was stupid and didn't realize it sooner. He didn't blame her if she wanted to kill him right now.

"Ino, I'm"

"You fucking idiot!" Ino stomped her foot. "You oblivious fucking jerk!" He held her, but she protest punching his chest and trying to push him away but when he did she ran back into his arms.

"Ino, I'm an idiot." Hearing her cries hurt him more. "A stupid idiot, and I'm sorry. I didn't know what I was thinking I was angry at you for not talking to me and then Sakura explained how you were away with your family and didn't want me to know and how you were going to surprise me at the contest. I know I fucked up by letting that girl come back to my life."

"Back into your life?" Deidara sighed readying himself to hear more from her. "She was your fucking ex? Oh my fucking- ah!" She pushed him away again her eyes shot daggers into his chest. "I've been in love with you since I met you and I get dissed for your fucking ex girlfriend?!"

"She's gone now Ino, I told her everything. I told her I felt nothing for her anymore and I told her,"

"I don't want to fucking hear Deidara! I just can't believe this shit, I-i fucking had sex with some random guy because I was too drunk to control myself because I wanted you and I couldn't have you. I feel so-so!" He grabbed her shoulders and pushed her lips onto him, silencing her with a kiss. When they pulled away she was speechless.

"I told her that I love you Ino, I only love you. I didn't realize it back then but I've been in love with you since I met you. Will you ever forgive me?"

"Only if you can forgive me." A smile spread over both faces. The kissed once more, her arms wrapped around his neck securely and his arms wrapped around her waist pulling her closer to him. Sure it was one fucked up way make up and to finally admit to someone how you've always loved them since you first met, but Ino couldn't have wanted it any other way and neither could have Deidara. "Oh by the way your sculpture was absolutely beautiful." Ino pulled away from the kiss with a smile on her face.

"I only made it because of you, you're my muse Ino." She jumped on him, hugging him tightly.

"I love you Deidara."

"I love you Ino."


End file.
